A New Home For Perkins

In the summer of 1956, to make room for the construction of the new Morris Pratt Frost Building, Perkins Dormitory was raised and moved to a new location on Middle Road. By October 12, 1956, when the photograph at the lower left was taken, Perkins appears at home under the beautiful elms trees lining the country road.

John W. Perkins, Headmaster 1882-1894

John W. Perkins was the seventeenth Headmaster of Dummer Academy. A graduate of Harvard College in 1865, and again in 1871, Perkins began his career as Principal of Salem High School in Salem, Massachusetts. He came to Dummer Academy in 1882, approximately the same year the photograph at the far left was taken. Perkins remained at the Academy for twelve years until 1894 when he returned to Salem to assume the position of Superintendent of Schools. As mentioned in a previous posting, Perkins was respected and well liked by his students. During the dedication ceremony of Perkins Dormitory at the 1925 commencement, the portrait of Perkins, shown above, was presented to the Academy by his former students. John W. Perkins died on January 16, 1931 in Milton, Massachusetts at the age of ninety.

Dorm Room in Perkins 1931

Here is a photograph of a student’s room in Perkins Dormitory taken in 1931. The neatly made bed and simple sheer curtains makes the room seem warm and comfortable. To the left is a scarf covered bureau on which rests a framed photograph of an older woman. Could this be the mother of the inhabitant of this room?